FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 04/22/15 Michael French Marketing & Public Relations Coordinator College of Performing and Visual Arts Southern Utah University Office: 435-865-8667 [email protected]

SUU THEATRE ARTS & DANCE CHAIR KAY ANDERSEN TO CELEBRATE THE LEGACY OF DANCE PIONEER MURRAY LOUIS AT GALA

Southern Utah University, Cedar City, Utah: An ensemble of distinguished international performers from the world of contemporary dance will join together to celebrate the legacy of pioneer Murray Louis, among them will be Kay Andersen, Chair of SUU’s Department of Theatre Arts and Dance. On Sunday, May 3, 2015, Murray Louis: From the Horse’s Mouth celebrates this remarkable dancer, choreographer, teacher, mentor and overall force of nature. The event features 25 acclaimed dancers, choreographers, critics and friends who will share their stories of Murray. Conceived and directed by Tina Croll and Jane Cunningham, the performance will begin at 3pm onstage at New York’s Abrons Arts Center Playhouse with tickets at $20.

From the Horse’s Mouth is a celebratory dance/theater piece where each participant tells a personal story from their life, and (if they wish to) can perform a section of a dance or theater piece of their own choosing, sometimes interacting with other performers. Past stories have ranged from humorous to poignant, revealing personal moments of loss, joy, frustration, and triumph. -- “Like dying and going to dancer’s heaven” -- The New York Times. Over the past 17 years different versions of From the Horse’s Mouth has been presented in , Los Angeles, , Chicago, Honolulu, Minneapolis, Miami, Philadelphia, Boston, Toronto as well as at Jacob’s Pillow and the American Dance Festival. Kay Andersen is part of an amazing array of talent performing The Horse’s Mouth honoring Murray Louis including Gladys Bailin, Tandy Beal, Michael Blake, Janis Brenner, Alberto del Saz, Betsy Fisher, Kim Gibilisco, Ruth Grauert, Peter Kyle, Phyllis Lamhut, Carla Maxwell, Bebe Miller, Lynn Needle, Sara Pearson, Carlo Pellegrini, Trista Redavid DeFilippis, Lynn Rico, Robert Small, Emi Tokunaga, Yasuko Tokunaga, Doug Varone, Patrik Widrig and Utah’s own Joan Woodbury. For more information about the event visit www.abronsartcenter.org.

Kay Andersen is Associate Professor of Dance, Chair of Department of Theatre Arts and Dance, Southern Utah University. Andersen received his Bachelor of Arts from Southern Utah University and his Master of Arts from in dance and dance education with an emphasis in performance/choreography. His career as a dancer/teacher/choreographer has spanned four decades and six continents. For 12 years he was a soloist and teacher with the Nikolais and Murray Louis Dance Company in New York City. With the company he performed worldwide, participated in the creation of important roles, taught at the studio in New York City and presented workshops throughout the world. He has toured internationally performing in venues such as the Paris Opera, Kennedy Center, Academy of Music (NYC), Joyce Theater (NYC), Spoleto Festival (Italy, USA), American Dance Festival (Korea, USA), Carlton Festival (Brazil ), Italica Festival (Spain), Athens Festival (Greece), Aix en Provence Festival (France), Kuopio Festival (Finland), Jacob’s Pillow (USA), and many more, as well as serving as a cultural ambassador to India representing the USIA Department. He worked as a performer and choreographer for Televisa of Mexico City where he appeared in a weekly television special as well as tours throughout the republic of Mexico. He has been a guest performer with Imago Dance Theatre of Florence, Italy, and New York based companies such as: Shapiro and Smith Dance, Linda Nutter Dancers, Erroll Simpsom and Company, Zipolitos, among others. In Los Angeles he performed extensively with Burch Mann’s American Folk Ballet and was a member of the company for 24 years. He has choreographed for the Utah Shakespeare Festival and continues to teach and choreograph domestically and internationally.

Murray Louis is known as one of the most influential American modern dancers and choreographers. After his discharge from the Navy he enrolled at Colorado College for a summer session and it was there during a workshop where he met , who would later become his mentor and lifelong partner. He moved back to New York to pursue a Dramatic Arts degree at New York University and attend class with Nikolais at Henry Street Playhouse. Louis made his debut as the lead soloist in Nikolais’ newly formed Playhouse Dance Company (which would late be renamed the Nikolais Dance Theater). Louis was chosen as Associate Director to Nikolais and together they created the Nikolais/Louis dance technique, which would become a major influence on modern dance and is still taught by his students. Louis founded his own company in 1968 known as the Murray Louis Dance Company. His company was then chosen to represent the U.S. State Department on a two-month tour of India in 1968. In 1972 he piloted the “Artist in School” program. He also created two works for Rudolph Nureyev to debut on Broadway in 1978. Louis additionally worked in television in the United States and Europe. In 1984 the Murray Louis Dance Company collaborated with the Dave Brubeck Quartet and had four very successful seasons, which were broadcast in the United States, Europe, and Japan. Some of his choreographed works include Pulcinello for Batsheva Dance Company for Israeli television and The Tales of Cri-Cri for Mexico City television. In July 1987 PBS televised Nik and Murray, an award winning documentary film by Christian Blackwood, in their American Masters series. The Princeton Book Publishing Company released a video called Murray Louis in Concert, a collection of solos in 1989. Louis also had his collection of essays, Inside Dance, published by St. Martin’s Press and released a five-part film series, Dance as an Art Form, which is now used as an introduction series for Educational Arts programs in the United States. A Cappella Books published his second book of essays, On Dance. Louis’s and Nikolais’ dance companies merged in 1989. On May 8, 1993, Alwin Nikolais died and Louis did not dance for two years after Nikolais’ death. In 1995 his company performed at Carnegie Hall for 10,000 children during their “LINK” program and in 1996 he completed a five-part video series titled, The World of Alwin Nikolais.

ABOUT THE COLLEGE The Southern Utah University College of Performing and Visual Arts is comprised of nationally accredited departments of Art and Design, Music, Theatre Arts and Dance, as well as a Center for Shakespeare Studies and a graduate program in Arts Administration. The College offers 16 different degree areas, including liberal arts Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees; professional Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Fine Arts in art and theatre degrees; and a Master of Fine Arts in Arts Administration degree. The Center for Shakespeare Studies offers a minor in Shakespeare Studies. More than 60 full- and part-time faculty and staff are engaged in teaching and mentoring over 550 majors in the College. Over 1100 students enroll each year in over 195 arts classes on the SUU campus. The College presents 100 performances, lectures, presentations, and exhibitions each year. The College’s affiliate organizations include the Braithwaite Fine Arts Gallery, Utah Shakespeare Festival, and the SUU Ballroom Dance Company. For more information about the College of Performing and Visual Arts, contact the Office of the Dean (435) 865-8561, or by e-mail at [email protected].